Films & Events

Directed by Michael Apted and starring Sigourney Weaver in a career-defining performance, Gorillas in the Mist is a powerful biographical drama based on the life and work of renowned primatologist Dian Fossey. Adapted from Fossey’s memoir, the film chronicles her journey from occupational therapist to pioneering conservationist, tracing her relocation to Central Africa to study endangered mountain gorillas and her fierce, controversial fight against poaching in Rwanda’s Virunga Mountains.

The film portrays Fossey’s deep emotional bond with the gorillas—particularly Digit—alongside her growing isolation as she wages an uncompromising battle against hunters and corrupt officials. As her activism intensifies, so too do the risks, culminating in her shocking 1985 murder, a crime that remains officially unsolved. Blending sweeping African landscapes, intimate wildlife cinematography, and human drama, the film balances environmental advocacy with a portrait of a brilliant yet complex woman driven by conviction.

Released in 1988, Gorillas in the Mist was both a critical and awards-season success. It received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress for Weaver and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as nominations for Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Sound. At the Golden Globe Awards, Weaver won Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, and composer Maurice Jarre won Best Original Score; the film was also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Widely praised for Weaver’s commanding performance and its groundbreaking integration of live gorilla footage with special effects, the film is credited with raising global awareness about endangered mountain gorillas and contributing to the broader conservation movement.

1988. 129 min.

Rated PG-13.